Bridesmaids…The Good, The Bad and The Difficult

Planning your wedding can be a great experience! You’ve found the perfect venue for your wedding, said yes to the dress and now it is time for your bridesmaids. As you eagerly call your closest friends and invite them to be a part of your special day….Reality sets in

One of the most common complaints I hear from brides is about their bridesmaids. The most stressful part of the planning process for most brides is dealing with their bridesmaid and their issues. In an effort to alleviate some of the stress, I will give you the most common issues and how to deal with them.

Never a Bride..Bridesmaid

This is your single friend who is a bridesmaid. She is eager to help but desperately wants to plan her own wedding. She has no problem telling you what she would do if this was “her” wedding. You get multiple texts from her with “suggestions” of things you should do for your wedding.

Solution: Give her very specific tasks to complete for the wedding. She has to feel like she is a part, this will allow her to continue to support you and not feel jealous that she is not the one getting married.

“Fashionista” Bridesmaid

The one bridesmaid that hates every dress that you have picked out because it is ugly and doesn’t compliment her figure. She wants to be “different” from the other ladies and demands to be the center of attention.

Solution: Have a private and very honest conversation with her. Let her know that you would like for her to be a part of your wedding, but if she can not wear the dress for a few hours out of respect for you, then you will be happy to allow her to be a guest. It is important that you stand your ground.

“Incognito” Bridesmaid

This is typically your best friend who is so excited when you call her to ask her to be a bridesmaid, but quickly disappears. She no longer answers your calls or text messages about her dress, showers or bachelorette parties. You guys were close before the wedding, but now she is no where to be found.

Solution: In most cases, the reason she has disappeared is because she can not pay for the dress, shower or bachelorette parties and is ashamed to tell you. Or she may secretly be jealous and doesn’t know how to deal with it. In either of these situations, your friendship is most important. Take her aside and talk to her and be very open with your feelings.

The most important thing to remember is that this is an emotional time, maintaining your friendships and relationships are most important during this time. How are you handling your bridesmaids during the planning process?